Jagan`s DA case trail extends to foreign countries: CBI to SC

New Delhi: Claiming that the trail of alleged disproportionate assets extended not only to different states but also several countries, the CBI Tuesday moved the Supreme Court strongly opposing any bail to YSR Congress chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.

In an affidavit settled by senior counsel Ashok Bhan, the CBI alleged that Jagan had enriched himself to several thousands of crores rupees illegally by using influence of his father, granting him bail at this juncture would erode public confidence in the administration of justice.

The respondent submits that the case against the petitioner A-1 (Jagan) and other accused has a large magnitude not only confined to the state of Andhra Pradesh but also extends to the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, West Bengal, Delhi and several foreign countries.

Therefore the public perception in the rule of law and majesty of justice will suffer dilution.

In the present case, the petitioner and other accused have impoverished the state exchequer with several thousand crores and the petitioner in particular has enriched himself to a large magnitude only through resorting to illegal and corrupt methods.

"In a short span of time to be precise within a period of five years the petitioner herein has enriched himself to several thousands of crores illegally and by subversion of the system," the CBI claimed.

The agency had filed the affidavit in response to the apex court`s notice to the CBI last month on Jagan`s plea for bail in the DA case being probed by it and the Enforcement Directorate.

According to the CBI, Jagan had made several attempts toinfluence witnesses, has not cooperated with the investigating agencies, attempted to stifle investigation and prosecution by filing several petitions and initiating frivolous proceedings.

The respondent submits that the petitioner at this stage is not entitled to bail as the matter is still under investigation in some of the vital aspects which among others include, the `hawala` aspect under the Money Laundering Act for transferring huge foreign funds into the companies of the Petitioner (A-1) and his family members.

The Enforcement Directorate is also examining the question of accused on this particular aspect.

The respondent herein have already obtained orders for Letter Rogatories u/s 166-A CrPC from the Special Court for CBI Cases, Hyderabad for six countries viz. British Virgin Islands, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, Mauritius, UK and Singapore and the respondents are constantly pursuing the authorities of those six countries and replies are awaited.

The petitioner has routed huge cash through companies based in Kolkata and Mumbai and flown those funds into his group of companies shown as genuine transactions which otherwise are the cash transactions, the sham transactions and suspected to be the hawala transactions and illegal money being brought into companies of the Petitioner (A-1) and which is under investigation actively pursued and likely to be completed in some time," the agency said.

The CBI alleged that having regard to the huge finances available at the disposal of Jagan and his political clout, he is likely to interfere with the process of further probe being conducted by it in the case.

"Therefore setting him at liberty at this moment will not only interfere with the ongoing investigation but also impair the existing cases in the court," the agency said.